Goodbye, ashke Queen's Own
by Hannah Salmalin
Summary: My first ML fic. Timeframe Arrow's Fall. Talia dies instead of Kris. Kris lives. Please RR


**Goodbye Ashke Queen's Own**

**By Elspeth the Brat (the little b inside us all)**

"The broken arrow is Herald Kris. The headless is Queen's Own, Herald Talias," Elcarth's voice carried through the clearing, though he said it softly and his voice was choked with tears.

* * *

Dirk let out a scream of anguish and Skif and Teren grabbed his arms, to stop him from running to Ancar and killing him with his bare hands. He fought futilely while crying "No, no, she's not dead. My ashke can't be dead!" I have to get Kris, save them both," 

Skif grabbed Dirk's jaw in a strong grip and made the older boy look him in overflowing eyes.

"Get a hold of yourself man! Tali, Talia is dead and Kris as good as!" he choked on sobs "There is nothing we can do,"

Those words hit him like a slap in the face and cut through his hysterics. And before anyone could catch him, he fell to the dusty ground in a sobbing heap.

* * *

Dusk found the herald lying on the ground, still weeping hoarsely. His love, his ashke, his Talia, his lifebond. He used the Tayledras word for beloved on her. How could the gods be so cruel as to take her to the Havens? 

Hell, he should have told her! He should have told her every day since he had known. Now she'd never know his love for her. Curse his pride and his lack of trust for women. Damn that Naril! Instead of telling her, he had drunk himself stupid every single night, and made himself ill. And what had that accomplished? His dead Talia, never knowing, and dead best friend, Kris.

Kris, oh hell, he was so damn glad they'd made up before he's had left. Dirk would have killed himself then and there, being unable to forgive himself if his best friend had died, knowing that they weren't friends.

But… wait… Kris might not be dead yet. Maybe, just maybe, he could Fetch him. If he required love and need to find him, and feed him the extra power, than he had more than enough.

Dirk sat up, wiping his sore eyes, and went to find Elspeth.

* * *

Selenay longed to mourn her friend and herald. But, personal matters always came after duty. The small council were gathered in her bivouac's tent, and were seated upon every spare surface. 

Suddenly she heard gasps from the guards who stood outside, and exclamations of horror. The tent flaps opened and her exhausted daughter stumbled in.

Elspeth cleared the bed of the five Heralds upon it and Dirk staggered into the tent, looking more than half dead. Selenay paled as she looked at him and the limp body of Kris in his arms.

Selenay had never thought she had a weak stomach, but she had a good mind to be sick as she looked at the unconscious man; he was damaged enough to make the hardest man or woman ill.

His too-good-to-be-true face was bloody and bruised. His Whites were slashed and showed a half mangled and torn body. Gods, oh gods, he'd been tortured; it was quite obvious. Her eyes made their way from his chest and when she saw his crushed feet, she swayed. Elcarth caught her and she felt him trembling as he watched as Dirk lay Kris, as gentle as ever, on the bed, and with a soft moan, Dirk passed out.

* * *

The battle was over and Dirk lay curled under a tree, crying. He seldom shed a tear, but the loss of his love was as fresh as the day she had been labelled dead. 

He didn't hear it until the last minute. He spun to see Kris slumped over on Tantris. Tantris sat down, and Kris dragged himself out of the saddle. Dirk looked as his friend and whispered "You shouldn't be up yet. Your feet…"

"Tantris said I should talk to you. Alone," he croaked, resting his scarred cheek on Dirk's shoulder "You and Talia were lifebonded,"

Dirk nodded sadly "I know,"

He looked at the two headstone's in front of him, his features saturnine; one was in memory of Talia's, the other was Rolan, who had died the next day; The Companion had lost two Chosen. Kris got onto his knees and with help from Dirk he pulled himself towards Tali's. He reached into his too-big Whites and pulled out a bunch of creamy white flowers, with a wonderfully, life filled fragrance. Maiden's Hope. Gods, where had he found them?

"Her favourite flowers," he whispered "I promised her a bunch for her wedding day garland. Your wedding day. But I guess, I guess you won't be…" He leant on Dirk's shoulder and wiped his eyes "She loved you Dirk. Just know that,"

Tantris came forward silently and Dirk lifted Kris onto the Companion as if her were made of straw. He certainly felt it. Kris drooped against the white neck, weak from using more energy than he should have in a month. They rode off, like ghosts, leaving Dirk with no-one but the moon.

He knelt in front of the head stone and pulled a diamond ring from his inside pocket. It would have been her engagement ring.

He laid it next to the Maiden's Hope, pain and despair in his eyes. He whispered "Goodbye, my Queen's Own, My love,"

* * *

**What did you think? This is my first ML, and it's on the Coll. By the way, JOIN THE COLLEGIUM! plugs shamelessly It's a place for ML fans all over!**

**http:p095. **


End file.
